Folding davenport or couch.



IVI, TAUBER.

FOLDING DAVENPORT DR COUCH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30.19I5.

Patented Febf27, 1917.

y 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

NI. TAUBER.

FOLDING DAVENPORT 0R COUCH.

APPUCATION FILED JUNE 30.1915.

Patented Feb. 27, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Ziff

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30\ 1915.

Patented Feb. 27,'1917.

3 SHEETS-ShEET 3 MAURICE TAUBER, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING DAVENPORT OR COUCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

lPatented Feb. 27, 191'?.

Application filed .Tune 30, 1915. Serial No. 37,144.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, MAURICE TAUBER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new, and useful Improvements in Folding Davenports orCouches, of which the following is a specifcation.

In some folding davenports the long dimension of the unfolded bedstructure runs lengthwise Vof the davenport framework, while in othersthe length of the bed structure is transverse to the davenport. Certainfeatures of the present invention relate tol either of these types, andother features refer more particularly to the type last mentioned.

The objects of the invention are to provide an improved connectionbetween the bed structure, more particularly the outer` section, and theseat of the davenport, whereby the structure and the seat will fold andunfold together in a continuous movement; to provide improved means forassociating the inner portion of the bed structure with the davenportframework; to provide an improved arrangement of parts so as to make thedavenport easily operable; to provide improved guide means for the backsection, also improved means for raising and lowering said section; andgenerally to simplify and improve the construction of the device.

.In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse sectional viewthrough one end of a davenport embodying the features of my invention,the view illustrating the position of the parts when unfolded or set upready for use as a bed. Fig. 2 is a fragmental plan View with portionsin section showing the structure in the same position as in Fig. 1.Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to Fig. 1, but showing the partsrespectively in partially folded and fully folded positions. Fig. 5 is afragmental rear elevation of the davenport. Fig. p is a fragmental viewof the connection between the outer bed section and the seat.

The preferred embodiment of the invention will be herein described indetail for the sake of clearness and without any intention of limitingthe invention to the exact struci lture disclosed. The scope of theinvention will be pointed out in the appended claims. The two end frames10 of the davenport are removably secured to the ends of an inswing fromits normal position upwardly and forwardly into an inverted position.When in normal position, the seat rests on the inner frame 12.-

The back section 17 f of the davenport is mounted for movement bodily upand down with relation to vthe end frames 10. In the drawings only theframes of the seat and back sections are shown, the upholstery beingomitted. 2O indicates a strap fixed to the seat section and adapted tobe grasped bythe operator for swinging thel seat. The back section isguided in its movement up and down by similar means at each end thereof,said means comprising a guide bar 21 ,pivoted at its upper end to abracket which is fixed to the back section, said bar passing downwardlythrough a space between the end of the bar 13 and the end frame 10 andbeing guided thereby and by plates 22 which connect said bar andv endframe. See Fig. 5.

rIhe back section and seat section and the bed-forming elements are allconnected together in such la manner that the bed structure and the backsection are operated by swinging movement of the seat section.- lTheelements of the bed structure and the cooperating connecting elementsare duplicated at opposite sides of the bed and for the Y sake ofclearness the following description will refer to the parts at'ponly oneside of the bed or at one end of the davenport.

The bed-forming elements proper comprise a relatively long outer section23, a relatively long middle or central section 24, a short section 25pivotally connecting said outer and central sections, and a relativelyshort inner section 26 pivoted directly to the central section. Theseparts at opposite sides `of the bed are connected by suitable end bars27, one orV more intermediate bowed braces 2S, and suitable springmaterial 29, as shown in Fig. 2. In the long type of davenport whereinthe long dimension of the bed structure runs .lengthwise of theframework, the innermost section 2G may be Cri omitted, the othersections being of sufficient width for the bed. With such a structure itis not necessary that the back section be movable up and down.

The outer section 23 has a supporting leg 30 pivoted at 31 thereto, thetwo legs at opposite sides of the bed being connected by a brace 3'2. Alink 33 is connected at one end to the leg 30 above its pivot 31, theother end of the link being pivoted at 3l to the short section 25.rl`his link is arranged to fold and unfold the leg in the swingingmovements of the outei bed section 23.

A link 5T is pivoted at one end to the link 33, the other end of saidlink 5T passing through a suitable guide provided by a strap 58 (Fig. G)which is attached to the inner side of the seat section. Said link hasan angular end 59 to prevent its withdrawal from its guideway and whichis arranged to abut against a. stop or liange ona bracket (SO fixed tothe seat frame. The link has play in its guideway, both laterally andloiigitudinally. Said link acts as a leg when the bed is unfolded tosupport the bed structui'e near the joint between the outer section 23and the short section 25 so as to insure that this joint will bestraightened out in horizontal position when the bed is unfolded. Afurther function of the link is to connect the bed to the seat section1l so that folding or unfolding movements of either one will operate theother.

A fulcruin bracket rigidly fixed to the seat 14 has its free endpivotally connected at 3G to the central section QJ( near the jointbetween the latter section and the short section 25. Another bracket orbar 37 is rigidly fixed to the front bar of the. inner frame 12 andextends upwardly to abut against the central section Q4 when the bed isunfolded so as to support the bed structure at this point.

()n the extreme inner corner of the innermost section Q6 is a horizontalprojection 48 (Fig. 2) which lies in a slot 49a (Fig. l) in a. plate 4:9fixed to the frame 12. By this means the inner section is supported, andwhen the structure is in its folded position, as shown in Fig. 4, thecentral section is suspended by said inner section. The slot 49a permitsthe necessary movement of the inner section 2G in folding and unfolding.

The seat l-l has an operating connection with the back 17 independent ofthe bed structure. This connection comprises a link 50 pivoted at itsupper end to a bracket -lT which is fixed to the lower edge of the backsection, the lower end of said link being pivoted to the rear end of along lilik 52 and the forward end of the link 52 being pivoted to a link53 which in turn is pivoted to the hinged plate 16 on the seat section.A short link 5l pivotally connects thc forward portion of the link 59 tothe hinge member 1G on the davenport framework. A link 4,6 is attachedat one end to the upper portion of the link 50 and is pivoted at itsother end on the plate 49. If desired, the weight of the back sectionmay be partially or wholly counter-balanced by a coiled tension spring56 so as to facilitate the operation of the davenport.

An arm or link l2 is pivoted at one end at 43 to the link and at itsother end said arm is attached to a link 4l which in turn is pivoted atits opposite end to the frame l2. The arm 42 has an angular flange 42 atone edge beneath which a projection 45 on the side bar of the centralsection 2l is arranged to engage to limit upward movement of the innerportion of said central section. A coiled tension spring is attached atone end to a flange on the link 4l and at its other end to thestationary hinge member 1G on the framework. Said spring tends to movethe parts into their unfolded position thereby assisting the operator inunfolding the couch.

The parts are so arranged that as the couch is unfolded the arm -12 willassume an upwardly and rearwardly inclined position and the projection-15 will wedge itself beneath the flange 42 on said arm. lhen the bed isfully unfolded, the weight of the parts in front of the fulcruin bracket37 tends to tilt the inner end of the section 24 upwardly as far aspermitted by the parts 49. and #l5 and to hold them in such position.

In operation, assuming the davenport to he in its normal or foldedposition, as shown in Fig. 4, if it is desired to unfold the structurethe operator grasps the strap 20 and swings the seat upwardly andforwardly into inverted position. ln this movement the stationarybracket 35 on the seat raises the bed structure. the slotted lilik57'also assisting in the raising action, and said link causing the outerbed structure to fully unfold and straighten out during the latter partof the unfolding movement of the seat. The link 33 at the same timeunfolds the supporting leg 30.

The movement of the seat also acts through the links 50, 59., 53. 5l and-16 to elevate the back section. llt will be noted that the guide bars21 cause the upper portion of the back section to move straight up anddown in a vertical plane which is the preferred movement for thiselement. The back section liriving been moved upwardly out of the way,the space beneath and be.- liiiid the normal position of said backsection may be utilized for the innermost section 26 of the bedstructure, so that said structure projects a minimum distance into theroom and thus economizes space.

The folding opeiation is just the reverse of that described, and need beexplained only briefly. The operator grasps the end of the outerbed-section 23 and raises it, the supporting leg 30 being thereby foldedalongside said section. When the section has been moved a short distancethe lilik 57 engages the guide strap 5S so that continuing movement ofthe bed section will j raise the seat 14. When the seat 1l has beenraised to a suitable height, the operator grasps the strap 20 andcontrols the further folding movement thereby.

It will be noted that all locks of whatsoever nature have beeneliminated from the present structure. Locks in a folding davenport areusually a source of annoyance and are apt to get out of order. In mostof the davenports of the short type, that is, wherein the bed structurewhen unfolded runs crosswise of the davenport, the outer bed section wasfolded over on the adjacent bed section and the two were then foldedagain ontoa third section. This arrangement is objectionable because inthe second folding movement the outermost bed section drops down andinterferes with the folding. I obviate this difficulty by arranging thebed structure to fold completely with only a single movement of theoutermost section, the latter lying above the central section whencollapsed beneath the seat and the two short sections occupying anupright position. Thus the bed is a two section bed, that is to say,there are only two long sections, the others being relatively shortsections. It requires only a single continuous movement to either foldor unfold the bed.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a folding couch, the combination of a framework, a seat pivotallyconnected at its forward edge to said framework, two long bed sections,a short section connecting said two long sections, a pair of bracketsfixed on the seat in which the inner longr section is pivotallysupported, additional means positioned inwardly from said brackportingthe bed structure, and means on each link to prevent its withdrawal fromthe guide.

Q. In a folding couch, the combination of a framework, a seat pivotallyconnected at its forward edge thereto, two long bed sections, a shortsection connecting said two long sections, another short sectionpivotally connected to the inner end of the inner long section andpivotally supported in said framework, said inner long section beingpivotally supported from the seat, a back section mounted for movementup and down in the framework, link means connecting the seat and backfor operating the latter, and stop means connected to and operable bysaid link means and arranged to limit the upward movement of the innerportion of said inner long bed section.

8. In a folding couch, the combination of a framework, a seat pivotallymounted therein, a back mounted for movement up and down in saidframework, a sectional bed structure arranged to be folded and unfoldedby the seat, link means connecting the seat and back for operating thelatter, and stop means connected to and operated by said link means andarranged to engage the inner yportion of the bed structure for securingthe latter.

4. In a folding couch, the combination of a framework, a seat pivotallymounted therein, a back mounted for movement up and down in theframework, a sectional bed structure arranged to be folded and unfoldedby the seat, link means connecting the seat and back for operating thelatter, arms pivoted-to said link means and arranged to engage the innerportion of said bed structure to secure the latter, and links attachedto said arms and pivoted in the framework.

5. In a folding couch the combination of a framework, a seat pivotallymounted therein, a back mounted for movement up and down in theframework, a sectional bed structure arranged to be folded and unfoldedby the seat, link means connecting the seat and back for operating thelatter, arms pivoted to said link means and each having a stop portion,stops on the bed structure for coperating with the said stop arms tosecure the bed structure, and links pivoted to said arms and to theframework.

6. In a folding couch, the combination of a framework, a seat pivotednear its forward edge thereto, a back mounted in the framework formovement up and down, a bed structure comprising), two long sections, ashort section connecting said two long sections, and an inner shortsection pivoted to the inner end of the inner long section, said innershort section being suitably supported, brackets projecting from thelower side of said seat in which the inner long section is pivoted,means for supporting the outer portion of the bed structure whenunfolded, link means 'connecting the seat and back for operating thelatter, stop arms pivoted to said link means, the bed structure havingportions to coperate with said stop arms, and links connecting the stoparms to the framework.

7. In a folding couch, the combination of a framework, a seat pivotallymounted therein, a back mounted in the framework for movement up anddown, a sectional bed structure arranged to be operated by the seat, andlink means forming an independent connection between the seat and backand comprising long horizontal links eachv v Connected at one end to theseat and at its opposite end to the back, and links each attached at oneend to one of said horizontal links and at its other end to theframework.

8. In a folding couch, the combination of a framework, a seat pivotallymounted therein, a back mounted for movement up and down in theframework, a. sectional bed structure arranged to be folded and unfoldedbythe seat, link means providing an independent connection between theseat and the back and comprising a pair of long horizontal links, andlink means connecting said long links directly to the framework.

9. In a folding couch, the combination of a fralnework, a seat pivotednear its forward edge thereto, a back mounted for movement up and downin the framework, a bed structure arranged to be folded and unfolded bythe seat, two link means connectingl the ends of the seat and back andeach comprising a long horizontal link, a link connecting the forwardend 0f said link to the seat, a third link connecting the rear end ofsaid long link to the back, links connecting1 said third links to theframeframework, plates connecting the ends of' said bar to theframework, guide bars pivoted at their upper ends to the back andsliding through the space between said plates at the ends Iof said bar,and means connecting the seat to the back for raising and lowering thelatter.

l1. In a folding couch, the combination of a main framework, uprightguide members mounted therein for vertical sliding movement, a backpivoted to the upper ends of said members, and a seat hinged in theframework and connected to the back for raising and lowering the latter.

ln testimony whereof. I hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

MAURICE TAUBER.

ln the presence 0f- MAURICE A. LEVY, SIDNEY l. RODNEY.

